Ibadan: The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has announced its commitment to collaborate with sub-national governments to boost investment in social protection. This was highlighted during the official launch of the ‘Supporting Sustainable Social Protection System (SUSI) Project’ in Ibadan, as stated by Celine Lafoucriere, UNICEF Chief of Lagos Field Office.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the SUSI project is a collaborative effort between UNICEF and the International Labour Organisation (ILO), funded by the European Union (EU). The project’s primary objective is to improve the lives of the most vulnerable individuals in communities by providing access to quality healthcare, education, and other social securities.
Lafoucriere emphasized that the SUSI project is designed to support government efforts in accelerating and expanding social protection coverage. She praised the state government for its efforts, including the creation of a Social Protection Policy that establishes a framework for implementing social protection in Oyo State. These efforts have led to the formation of a Social Protection Coordination Department, the drafting of a bill for social protection awaiting legislative action, and the initiation of several ongoing social protection initiatives.
However, Lafoucriere noted existing strategic, operational, and technical challenges that limit coverage for the most vulnerable groups, particularly children, women, the elderly, and people living with disabilities. She highlighted that a significant portion of the population remains multi-dimensionally poor, with only a small percentage receiving social assistance, underscoring the urgent need for increased investment in social protection.
UNICEF aims to enhance Oyo State’s capabilities to respond to shocks by reinforcing policy frameworks and integrating financial mechanisms into state budgets and planning efforts sustainably. The organization remains committed to supporting Oyo State in building an inclusive social protection system.
UNICEF’s Programme and Social Policy Manager, Muhammad Okorie, stated that UNICEF, in collaboration with relevant government agencies, has carried out an identification process for poor and vulnerable households. This initiative has made these households traceable and captured in the social register, facilitating the next step of updating their details with national identity numbers and bank account information. Okorie emphasized the need to increase the number of households on the state social register, with a target to include an additional 250,000 households by the end of 2026.
The Acting Governor of Oyo State, Adebayo Lawal, announced that the project would provide a modernized social protection management information system, fully interoperable across relevant ministries, departments, and agencies in the state. He highlighted that collaboration with UNICEF, EU, and ILO would lead to a comprehensive approach to poverty reduction in the state. The acting governor called for all stakeholders, including civil society organizations, the private sector, and citizens, to unite in advancing this initiative.